Down a rabbit hole
by lazysleep
Summary: A Quarian not on his pilgrimage, no longer part of the fleet, and Turian gone AWOL. These two close friends get dragged into a dark organization where they come across dangerous foes, pushed into suicidal situations and forced to make choices that affect millions. Story will focus on OCs(OC request are being taken) and take place during ME2, small cameos of main cast. R&R
1. Chapter 1

He waited at C-sec, impatiently tapping his foot on the metal floor constantly checking his omni-tool for a message or the time.

22:23

"Where is he?"

He paced around.

"He's 38 minutes late, I'll give him five more minutes before going after him." He thought to himself.

He wore simple Quarian military standard armor, white with an orange pattern, visor ; scuffed and dirty. Although he knew more in the knowledge department , he was familiar with a combat pistol , among other things, as he had come across many dangers in his explorations, his armor proof of these rare moments.

His omni-tool went off, a sudden vibration in his arm and the orange holographic display appeared before him, the orange light reflecting off his helmet's visor .

"About time you reported in."

"I got held up." The voice said with a flanging effect, part of it's charm. It was followed by an explosion in the background.

It was then the Quarian noticed C-sec units responding to some crisis, squads gearing up and readying weapons.

A sigh escaped his lips and passed through his helmet's audio.

"It was a simple pick up, how'd it go boom?"

The voice over his omni-tool gave off a chuckle. "A Krogan wanted it as well, he didn't find it all that amusing that you were getting it, Napeel."

Napeel laughed, "I assume you didn't find it amusing when he threatened you, did you Joss?"

"About as much as him enjoying me blowing his kneecaps off. After that, his gang didn't want me to be alive much. Not many of them alive now," Napeel heard a gun shot. "Scratch that, none alive now."

"They were bad guys right?" Napeel asked, concern clear in his voice.

"I said Korgan, didn't I?" Joss asked.

"I know, I know. I just don't want anyone innocent dying because of me."

"You've always been an asshole with a cconscience. I count as innocent and I'm fine by the way, thanks for asking." Joss teased.

"If an angry Krogan could even get you, I'd been killed years ago. " Napeel replied.

"How many times have I saved your ass? I feel like it's pushing to the third digits."

"Anyway, you should get away from there, C-sec is going to be crawling all over that place in about five minutes. "

"Already heading towards a transport terminal. Be there in ten. What's in the package anyway?"

"A map of planets with some ruins of old colonies. "

"Ah, that's right, the old ruined colonies. Why do we need this again?"

"I'll tell you over a drink."

"I'll hold you to that."

A vibration shook his arm. An indication of another incoming message. He looked at the caller.

"Joss I need to call you back." He hung up before Joss could finish asking about the sudden need.

"Hello Soulless. " He greeted cheerfully.

"Hey, Napeel. I see you still have your sense of humor. "

"It keeps me entertained. What do I have the pleasure of this call for? You normally don't respond to mine."

"Well yours are mostly trying to start something. "

"I like to think they're more along the lines of trying to end a conversation properly. You know, since you tend to ask random questions like what is the best way to break into purgatory , how to kill a Krogan Warlord and then hanging up after I answer. "

"Not true, I also sometimes ask how were your trips and not answer you back."

"It's been a few weeks since you asked about trusty dealers in omega. Thought you died. Was gonna send your twin flowers."

" How sweet. I need your help."

" Can't give you advice now Dy, busy."

Napeel, waved Joss over as he got off the transport. The Turian gave a small nod as he walked across the room, a small metal container in his hands.

"Aww, I graduated to a name in this conversation. But simple advice won't cut it. I need you and Joss off the citadel."

He tensed up and scanned the room, Joss sensing his discomfort, did the same.

Napeel started typing quickly into his omni-tool, trying to trace the call.

"How'd you know-"

She cut him off.

"You're gonna get surrounded as soon as you get to your ship, please don't fight any of them. Just go with it. Please."

"Soulless, why?" He slightly stretched out the 'why'.

"Just like that it's back." She gave a dark chuckle. "But I can't explain now, no time. You won't be harmed, not if you cooperate. Do and this I'll find you once you arrive."

"Arrive where?" Napeel waited, but no response.

"Soulless? "

"I got to go. Keelah please, you have to do this, lives are on the line. Remember, play ball."

The call ended.

Joss looked down at him, asking what without actually asking.

Napeel let out a sigh and shook his head . "Let's go get your drink."

As they made their way lower to the wards, Joss went into full detail about the firefight.

"So there I was waiting for the shopkeeper to come back, when I heard a gunshot. So I naturally hop over the counter and head to the back room, there I see the dead Salarian; the shopkeeper. I rush out the back and almost get my head blown off by some human merc. But me being me ducks, as the shotgun round passes over me, I rush the guy and disarm him. " He reenacted the struggle.

"He was just a human so it ended pretty quickly. But then the Krogan charges at me, yelling something I didn't really hear. My reflexes kick in and aim the shotgun and boom, blew out one of kneecaps. He falls and starts cursing me, asking if I knew who he was, the usual. I threaten him, asking what happen. He doesn't speak, I shoot, he talks. "

Napeel phased out Joss and thought over the conversation with Soulless.

As the two made their way inside the bar and order their drinks Napeel recapped the call to Joss.

Joss listened with his eyes closed, drinking a shot waiting patiently for Napeel to finish.

Joss downed another shot, his fifth. Napeel was still on his first, gingerly drinking through a straw.

The two sat in a moment of silence, a contradiction to the loud setting around them before Joss spoke.

"So what do we do? "

Napeel shrugged. "It's not something I can just force you to follow me into, you decide."

Joss briefly thought it over.

"I'm game for whatever, although I'd prefer if we didn't get involved with whatever crap Soulless got involved in. She tends to piss off a lot of people you don't want to piss off. But I do like to participate in gun fights, so it's a win-win for me. There is also the part 'bout lives being in danger."

Napeel let out a sigh. "I feel I'm gonna get the butt of a rifle bashed in my face."

"Don't you mean helmet?" Joss said.

They both laughed.

They headed towards their small ship, eager to skip past this part.

As they approached the docking bay, a dozen armed mercs surrounded them.

They encircled the two, rifles aimed at their chest.

Napeel put his hands up in a surrendering motion, Joss forcefully put Napeel's arms back down, shaking is head all the while.

"I swear I don't know what's more humiliating, surrendering to group of mercs without a Krogan or surrendering with you."

Napeel turned to face him, causing the group of armed individuals to tense up.

"What does that mean?"

Joss mocked Napeel, throwing his hands in the air, over dramatically shacking and cowering.

He stopped an stood back straight.

Napeel stared at him, his eyes glowing orbs.

"Really? What about the time in Omega?"

"Oh you mean when you hide behind cover and shot four measly bullets, totally a badass."

The armed goons exchange looks and the ones aimed at Napeel lowered their rifles.

Napeel did a slow turn around at their action. "Oh, come on!"

Joss laughed.

"I meant the time I saved you from Aria T'Loak."

This caused all the goons to turn their attention to Napeel, ignoring Joss.

"Please, you reasoned with her. Stop trying to imply you have some...some...what do Quatrains have anyway?"

The goons turned their attention back to Joss, who bore a grin.

"What about the-" "Shut up, before I break that mask of yours!"

Napeel was cut off by a deep gruff voice.

A massive Koran approached them, his palette green and scared from countless battles.

"Oh. Maybe this isn't so bad." Joss chirped.


	2. Wrage's rage

"Wrage what the heck-" Napeel was interrupted by the butt of a M-98 Widow, ironically his favorite weapon. His head slammed into the back of his helmet and he fell to the floor.

"Oooh, even I felt that." Joss said with a smug grin. "Hey that's a Widow, isn't that your fav-"

"Shut it you bosh'tet."

Napeel said picking himself up, looking towards the armed Mercs, he waved a hand. "No, please don't help me."

"Wait, Napeel. Isn't that your gun?" Joss asked.

He was a few feet away, encircled by his own group of Mercs.

They were dressed in black armor , with no symbols or markings, each wearing a variation of the death mask. Eyes glowing white lights, cold and empty .

Before he could answer, the Korgan, Wrage did. "It is." Joss gave a slight wave towards Wrage , causing the Mercs to tense. "How's it been?"

"It's been one big joy ride ever since that little soup can," Wrage pointed towards Napeel. "thought it best to part ways." "You gunned down colonist." Napeel said staring at the Korgan he once considered a close friend.

"Been doing it every chance I could afterwards." Wrage said with smile.

"That's not surprising, you never did well in a fair fight, so gunning down the unarmed is the only way I suppose." Joss said as the Mercs started to move them towards a cargo ship.

Wrage nearly growled. "I only need the Quarian alive, Joss. Keep running that mouth of yours and I'll be standing on your neck."

"You're welcomed to try, didn't end well for the last Korgan that threaten me. Hell it didn't end well for your species when they threatened the Turians."

That comment earned Napeel a hit to the stomach, he lurched forward and received another blow to the back of the helmet. He dropped to the floor like a sack of stones.

Joss tried to rush forward , but was held back by the Mercs. Wrage grabbed Napeel's unconscious body by the throat and lifted him towards Joss, applying force to his throat.

"The thing about Quarians is that they are so damn easy to kill. You'd think the suits would make it harder, but it doesn't even make it difficult to crush their throats. Hell just smashing that visor of his well do him in." As Wrage said the last bit as he bioticly slammed Napeel to the ground.

Joss struggled to break free from the Mercs, but only got cuffed by a pistol. He glared at Wrage, who lifted Napeel up revealing a crack on his visor, small but disturbing enough to make Joss double his efforts to break free from the Mercs' grasp.

Wrage slammed Napeel into the ground once more, the crack increased and covered half of his visor. "One more and it will shatter, ever seen a Quarian without a helmet? Look like something that dies easily. Haha."

He dropped Napeel and ordered a mercenary to bring him on board.

He shoved past Joss, warning him to keep his mouth shut. Joss was led into the cargo bay , as Napeel was dragged by a his leg.

The Mercs led them to an empty chamber, shoving Joss to the floor and kicking him, while the Napeel was lifted and thrown, for no other reason but to amuse a Batarian.

"I'm gonna tell him you did that." Joss said.

The Batarian lifted his pistol and shot at Joss, blue liquid splattered against the wall as the bullet went through his shoulder. Joss grunted, but otherwise remained silent.

"Good." The Batarian said.

He left, shutting and locking the cell behind him.

Joss leaned against the wall and grit his teeth as his injured shoulder made contact. His vision was getting blurry and he just wanted to take a nap.

Closing his eyes, he let sleep overtake him.

* * *

When Joss came to Napeel was wrapping up his wound seemingly had taken off his armor without him waking.

"It's creepy that you undressed me." Joss said.

He flinched after saying that. "It hurts to breath."

"That's the side effect of being shot with a radiation clip, now shut up and be still." Napeel said, reaching behind him and taking a long tube, he squirted it in the bullet wound.

Joss wound stung and he held back a scream.

"Fuck. What is that?" Joss asked.

"Quarian antibiotics. Hold still while I put on some gel. It is not omni-gel so I might need to wrap it up." Napeel told him, getting up and going to where some small pack was, it was only the size of Napeel's fist.

"Where did you get that?"

"Hmm, oh this? I'm Quarian, our suits may have all that in case a breach, but you can't really sleep well, unless you have some back stuff….well at least for me anyway. Nearly died from an infection when my suit malfunctioned and didn't release the stuff."

Joss rolled his eyes. "Again with this story, I didn't know it was you and you forget the pass code. It's not my fault you got shot."

Kneeling down once more, Napeel applied a gel over the wound and wrapped it up.

"No, you're just the one who shot me and blew a whole in my suite."

"In my defense you look just like a varran . "

They both laughed.

Done with the minor treatment, Napeel sat down next to his friend.

"Sorry about all this."

Leaning his head back and closing his eyes, Joss spoke.

"No reason for you to apologize , she lied about all this. I'm shot and your visor is all fucked up, we're pretty even at the moment . But I call dibs on a certain Batarian. And besides we've been through worse."

"That's true and he's the one who shot you?"

"Oh yeah."

"You'e going to return the favor?"

"Well a bit more than just return the favor. What about, Souless?"

"I might kill her for this."

"You killing a biotic?" Joss laughed. "Now that's funny."

"Okay, fine. A strong exchange of words." Napeel said with a wave of his hand.

"Sure, sure. Just tell me if you want me to shoot her. Always wanted to get her back , plus I never fought a biotic Quarian before. Seems like a fun thing to do."

* * *

They woke up to what they assumed was the ship docking, sounds of metal snapping into place.

A few moments later Wrage open up the cell door.

"On your feet." He barked at them.

Napeel helped Joss up, holding out his hand. The two exited the cell to find most of the Mercs dead, except for the Batarian who was hooked to a pipe, helmet off. Napeel eyed the room, some of the Mercs stomachs were blasted open and torn apart by biotics but most looked like they been shot without them even knowing, in the back.

"I see you had fun." Joss said. Wrage shrugged.

"It was quicker to just shoot them before they knew what was happening." He said, walking past a group of dead Mercs at a table , food spilt everywhere. "A lot less sharing and a lot more credits for me." Napeel remained quiet.

Wrage stopped in front of the restrained Batarian, grabbing him by the top of the head he made him look at Joss. He was in the same black Merc gear, nothing to affiliate with any of the top mercenary groups.

The Batarian was bleeding from a gash on his head and his jaw was dislocated.

"Saved him just for you, had a little fun with him though. Hahaha." Wrage laughed.

He handed Joss a pistol.

"Go ahead."

Joss pressed the barrel of the gun to the Batarian's head, right between the set of obelisk eyes. The Batarian closed all six of them, offering no struggle or resistance, no fight left in him.

"Joss what are you doing?"

"He's not a good guy you know."

"Yeah but he's not offering any resistance, Keelah, he can't even fight back." "Shoulder still hurts like a bitch."

Napeel pushed the pistol down and Joss handed it to him.

"Jeez you act like I was actually gonna do it, just wanted to scare him a bit. Gunshots aren't sunshine you know."

Wrage gave a small disgusted grunt before smashing the Batarian in the head with a shotgun, Joss attempted to stop it, but just got whacked in the stomach and biotic slammed to the floor, causing him to become unconscious.

Napeel aimed the pistol at Wrage. Wrage laughed as Napeel emptied the clip, the bullets unable to go through his biotic shield. A bluish black aura appeared around Wrage and he effortlessly threw Napeel around the room.

After tossing him around , he slammed him against the wall hard enough to dent to it, knocking Napeel out.

Wrage went back to striking his former ally , the Batarian's legs twitched and his body spams as shouts of pain escaped him.

When the sound stopped and the body finally went limp, Wrage let out a deep and rough laugh.

"That felt good, don't know why you didn't do it,Joss. All you did was just make it harder on the guy. Guess you'll stick with the soup can here."

He said, picking up Joss and tossing him on his shoulder.

"But I respect ya, so I'll let you live. For now anyway."

Wrage grabbed Napeel by his leg and dragged him off and far away from the ship.

Once they were a safe distance away, Wrage typed a command into his omnitool. As he finished the ship exploded into a ball of flames.

"Now to go collect my payment." Wrage said, heading towards a pyramid off in the distance, bringing along the two of them.


End file.
